41 pages • 1 hour read
Ruth WareOne by One
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 23-36Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapters 23-25 Summary
Liz wakes up very cold, leading her to reflect on her even colder childhood bedroom. She checks her phone and sees that she got connection at some point in the night and that someone Snooped her, but there is no way of knowing who. Liz goes downstairs to warm up by the fire and finds Elliot already there. He is working on code, his computer plugged in to an external charger that gives him battery even though the electricity is still out. They talk, and he very excitedly explains the geosnooping update, then ends the conversation abruptly. Liz reflects on how refreshing Elliot’s up-front honesty is compared to everyone else’s wheeling and dealing. Rik and Miranda come downstairs and talk about both the buyout and how much information Snoop has been collecting over the years. Elliot abruptly leaves to go talk to Topher.
Erin is making coffee in the kitchen. Ani comes downstairs to get coffee for herself, Topher, and Elliot. Erin speculates on how unlikely it is that Eva managed to survive; she calls for a group meeting to discuss what their options are. When Tiger asks about Eva, the group realizes that Elliot has not joined them. Ani goes upstairs to get him so they can have him explain how GPS positioning works but finds him dead with his computer smashed. Her scream sends everyone running upstairs, where Liz surveys the damage. Topher is distraught to admit that Elliot wanted to tell him something, but he pushed the conversation off. Erin checks the body, revealing that she has medical experience because she dropped out of medical school. She clears the room, declaring that it is a crime scene.
Chapters 26-29 Summary
In the kitchen, Erin and Danny try to make sense of what has happened. They debate whether Elliot’s earth was a suicide or a murder, and they decide to check the room without everyone observing them. Erin finds a chalky, white residue in Elliot’s coffee cup and sees that the computer was wrapped in a towel to muffle the noise of it breaking. She realizes that he may have been killed to hide information, which leads her to wonder if Eva’s death was not an accident.
Downstairs in the living room, Liz watches Topher cry as everyone speculates if Elliot killed himself. Topher leaves the room with Tiger while the rest continue to speculate. Rik implicates that Topher may have had a hand in Eva’s death because he stands to benefit from it, which makes Liz have a panic attack and flee the room. Upstairs, Erin and Danny watch Liz run into her room and go down to the staff quarters. Erin explains her theory that someone killed Eva and Elliot to cover their tracks. They fight over whether to share this theory or keep it to themselves as a form of protection. Danny convinces Erin to share, claiming that they have no connection to the group and thus are not at risk. Privately, Erin worries, “I can’t bring myself to say this to Danny, not now... the problem is, in my case, it’s not quite true” (158).
Erin and Danny call the others back to the foyer, where they share their theory and advise the group to take precautions. Carl gets angry at the two, claiming he should sue, but Danny defends them by saying that they are not responsible. Erin questions Inigo about his phone call to the police, which he struggles to remember. The group disperses to prepare to lunch. This causes Erin to overhear Rik and Miranda, who wonder if Inigo actually talked to anyone on the phone.
Chapters 30-36 Summary
Lunch is served, during which Inigo exclaims that he was in love with Eva and never would have hurt her, confirming that they were having an affair. Erin and Danny speculate about who the killer could be. They pick out who among the Snoop staff has an alibi and who is a talented enough skier to have killed Eva on the black trail. Erin realizes that Ani could be a potential target, since she was the one who saw Eva skiing on the trail.
Upstairs, Liz tries to find refuge in her room but realizes that Topher is already there. He begins crying, which Liz is not prepared for. She leaves to get him a glass of water, knowing that she is not gifted when it comes to social demands. Meanwhile, Erin and Danny talk to Ani, Miranda, Carl, and Rik, confessing they are concerned for Ani’s safety. Rik announces his suspicions about Inigo. Ani is pressed to remember who she told that she saw Eva. When Carl reiterates suspicion of Inigo, she gets so upset she runs from the room. Ani runs into Liz and repeats the conversation. Frustrated and distressed, she pounds on Inigo’s door so loudly that she attracts everyone’s attention. Danny uses his staff key to access the room, and the group discovers that Inigo is gone. He has left a note that reads, “Dear everyone, I have made a terrible mistake. I have gone to try to put it right. Please don’t come after me. Inigo” (181). The group wonders what the note could mean and if he was involved in the murder. They realize that Tiger is not present and bang on her door until she wakes up. Miranda cries from the tension and stress.
The group decides to sleep in pairs to protect themselves, but Liz insists that she will not do this. She “cannot explain to them how much the thought for sharing a room with Tiger and Ani fills [her] with dread. It’s been bad enough during the day” (183). Later that night, Ani knocks on Liz’s room and tries to convince Liz to join her and Tiger. Tiger has taken a sleeping pill, and Ani is worried on Liz’s behalf. She seems increasingly anxious as the conversation goes on, leading Liz to believe she knows something she has not shared. Finally, Liz tells her, “You heard what Erin said, if you know something, tell someone. Keeping secrets is the most dangerous thing you can do” (186). Liz grows frightened and anxious as she and Ani stare at each other. Ani leaves, claiming she must think, and Liz watches her go. In the staff quarters, Danny and Erin have a hard time sleeping. Between the accusations from the Snoop staff and the events of the day, they are terse with each other. Erin suggests that Danny try to hike to Haut Montagne, the nearest ski chalet. He refuses to leave her.
Chapters 23-36 Analysis
The tension ratchets up in this section of the novel, escalating the conflict even further than before. Eva’s disappearance, at the beginning of the section, is viewed as suspicious but not necessarily the result of violence. However, when Elliot is found murdered with his computer smashed to pieces, it becomes clear that the deaths are in some way connected. This stokes concern for Erin and Liz, as readers are privy to their personal thoughts and reactions, which are colored by fear and anxiety. While multiple characters have motive for killing Eva, Elliot was killed purely to hide information. This means that no one is safe in the chapters to come, because the killer will do whatever possible to prevent their misdeeds from coming to light.
Also important in this section are the blurring and changing social dynamics within the group. At the beginning of the novel, Erin and Danny are consummate hosts, exclusively meant to serve the guests and give them an enjoyable experience. As the situation grows more dangerous and sinister, they move into positions of authority, as they are experts on the area and avalanche survival. The interactions of the Snoop staff are similarly altered by the tension of the second day at the chalet. The strained relationships of the first day resolve into clear dividing lines in the second. The group picks at each other, pointing fingers and assigning blame. This adds to the sense of concern and paranoia because both Liz and Erin are negatively impacted by this increasing tension.
Related Titles
By Ruth Ware
